Engine-starter



1.. W. ESTERLINE AND D. J. ANGUS.

ENGINE STARTER.

APPLICATION FILED IIAY 4. 1911.

Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

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ENGINE STARTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4. 1911.

1,388,178. I Patenwa Aug. 23,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- I 'DonaZcZ Jaw a UNITED STATES JOHN W. ESTERLINE ANDDONALD J'.

ANGUS, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA,

ASSIGN'ORS TO TIDEWATER -EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, I OH PORTLAND,

MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

ENGINE-STARTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

Application filed May 4, 1917. Serial No. 166,342.

To all whom it may concern:

.Be it known that we, JOHN WV. ESTERLINE and DONALD J. ANGUs, citizensof the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marionand State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvementsin-Engine-Starters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to starters for in ternal combustion engines.

The invention is embodied in a device that utilizes a helical torsionspring for turning the crank shaft of the engine. A11 electric motor isutilized for winding the starting spring and is controlled by automaticdevices that open the motor circuit when the motor has wound thestarting spring to a predetermined degree. The starting device includesa main shaft upon which the starting spring acts, and this shaft isprovided with a brake that serves to hold it against rotation during thewinding period and until it is desired to utilize the spring to startthe engine. The brake is controlled automatically by mechanism that isarranged to release it when the start ing spring is wound beyond theaforesaid predetermined degree at which the motor circuit is opened. Thebrake-controlling mechanism, furthermore, is arranged to reset the brakeautomatically when the starting spring has spent itself in effecting astart.

During the active period of the starting spring the automatic switchthat controls the motor switch becomes closed automatically, so that thewinding motor will be in operation and actually winding'the startingspring when the brake is reset to hold the latter. The motorthereaftercontinues to wind the starting spring until the latter reaches theaforesaid predetermined degree,

of winding. The starting operation is brought about by manipulation of afootswitch or handswitch that closes the motorc'ircuit independently ofthe aforesaid automatic switch and when the motor is set in operation bythe closin of the footswitch or handswitch the adition l Windpcars inelevation in this figu ing of the spring caused thereby is utilized torelease the brake, and as soon as such release has been effected thefootswitch or handswitch may be opened, and the remainder of the cycleof operations will occur automatically.

The invention as shown by the accompanying drawings is designedprimarily for installationon a'power vehicle that is propolled by aninternal combustion engine, and that is equipped with a storage batteryfor furnishing current.

On the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents a vertical cross-section through the starting'deviceembodying the present invention in what we, at present, consider thepreferred form. The electric motor for winding the starting spring ap-Fig. 2 represents a vertical section through the structure intersectedby -line-22 of Fig. 1, some portions of the structure appearing inelevation in the background.

Fig. 3 represents a top plan view of theautomatic switch that controlsthe circuit of the winding motor.

F ig. 4 represents a top plan view, partly in section. of thebrake-releasing lever, and

includes other elements of the brake-con-.

trolling mechanism.

Fig. 5 represents a vertical cross-section through the structureintersected by line 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 represents a similar section with the brake band released.

Fig. 7 represents a longitudinal section through the device as indicatedby line 7-7 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a conventional representation of the starting device appliedto .an internal combustion engine and connected with the latter bysuitable driving connections.

Fig. 9 represents a wiring diagram of the electric circuits. j

The same reference characters indicate the same parts wherevertheyoccur.

The starting device includes a main casing 10, and a main shaft 11 thatis hereint r t rme e fstarting shaft. The

traverse of the latter.

starting spring 12 is helical in form, and one end thereof is connectedto the starting shaft by a bolt 13. The other end of the spring isconnected by bolt 14 to winding gear 15. Thus the spring is wound at oneend by gear 15 and unwinds at the other end to drive the starting shaftby means of bolt 13.

Gear 15 is enmeshed with an elongated pinion 16 by which it is driven. Aworm gear 17 is afiixed to pinion 16 and is'enmeshed with a worm 18.Referring to Fig. 1. worm 18 is afiiXed to the armature shaft 19 of anelectric motor that is indicated as a whole at 20. The gearing describedserves to transmit rotation from the armature shaft 19 to the startingspring 12 to wind the latter. The starting spring as shown by Fig. 7 isin a relaxed condition, that is to say, it has spent itself and is aboutto be rewou-nd. As the winding operation progresses it causes anincrease in the number of convolutions of the spring, and this causes anelongation of the spring lengthwise of the starting shaft. VVi-ndinggear 15 is loosely mounted upon the starting shaft and is capable ofsliding endwise thereon. As the axial length of the spring increaseswith winding, gear 15 is moved axially toward the position representedby broken line, but the teeth of pinion 16 are long enough to maintaingeared relation with the winding gear throughout the axial This axialtraverse of the winding gear is utilized to open the circuit of thewinding motor, antl thus to release the brake, as will be understoodafter further description.

The starting shaft 11 is norti'ially restrained by a brake thatcompfises a brakedrum 21 and brake-band 22. The direction of rotation ofthe drum is indicated by urrows in Figs. 5 and 6. The leading end oi theband is connected to brake lever 23 by a pin 24 and the trailing end 'ofthe band is connected to said lever by a pin 25. The fulcrum stud of thelever is indicated at 26. The anchoring pin 25 is arranged between pin24 and stud 26, and in consequence of such arrangement the brake-bandtendsautomatically to tighten itself upon the drum if there is anymovement of the latter in' the direction indicated. An arm 27 is pivotedto the brake lever by the stud 26 and is jointed with an arm 28bymeansof a pivot pin 29. The arms 27 and 28, conjointly, constitute atoggle whereby the brake-band is held in tightened condition when pin.29 is on dead-center. The lever 23, and the arms 27 and 28, eachconsists of pa-rallel duplicate parts ;thus there are two levers 23, twoarms, 27 and two arms 28. The anchoring pivot of arm 28 is indicated at30. A helical torsionspring 31 is coiled about pin 30 and is arranged toact upon the toggle to move pin 29 normally to deadcenter. For thispurpose pin 30 is fixed against rotation about its own axis, and itsright hand end (Fig. 2) is formed with'a slot 32, and the right hand endspring 31 is arranged in said slot. The other end of the spring isengaged with arm 28. as shown by Figs. 2, 5, and 6. The brake-applyingmovement of the toggle is limited by an extension on member 28, and astop-pin 34 affix-ed to member 27. As shown by Fig. 5

pin 29 is on dead-center extension 33 is against stop-pin 34, and thebrake-band is tightened upon the drum. This figure represents the normalcondition of the brakemechanism, as when thespring has been wound to theaforesaid predetermined degree preparatory to being released. As

shown by Fig. 6 the toggle is broken and the drum is released. It willbe noted that the leading end of the brake-band,

as shown by Fig. 6 is in contact'with a The function of element stopelement 35. 35 is to prevent automatic tightening of the brake-band inconsequence of the drag occasioned by rotation of the drum. .Fig. 6'

represents the condition ofthe brake mech-. anism between the time ofrelease and the time of complete relaxation of the starting spring. Stopelement 35, in the present instance, is in the form of a screw and ismounted in the wallet casing 10 so as to be adjustable to satisfy therequirements of the brake mechanism.

The operation of breaking the toggle to release thebrake is effected bywinding'the starting spring slightly beyond the. aforesaid predetermineddegree. "Such auxiliary winding of the spring causes axial movement ofwinding gear 15 from right to left (Fig.

7) as heteinbefore explained, and such move ment of the winding gear is'utllized to release the brake. For this purpose a lever comprising arms36 and 37 is arranged to transmit movement from the winding gear, Thefulcrum'bar of this lever is indicated at 38. A finger 39 carried by arm37 is arranged to engage a bushing 40 that is mounted upon the middlepin 29 of the toggle and to displace said pin from dead-center againstthe stress of spring 31. For this purpose the lever movesin thedirection indicated by the arrows in Fig. l. WVhen the lever is releasedby the winding gear it takes the position-represented by dottedlines inFi s. 4; and 7 but whenzthe'windin ear D 3 n P) comes to rest afterhavingwound the starting spring tosaid predetermined degree the leverstands in the position represented by solid lines in Figs. 4 and 5. Thenwhen the the position shownv in Fig. 6, thereby dis placing pin 29 from,dead-center. The

winding motor is set in operation to effect a start the winding gear 15moves the lever to" brake lever 23 so that the latter and the brake-bandmay move in response to the drag of the brake-drum. The brake-drumthereupon turns the brake-band carrying the leading end of the latter asfar as the stop member 35 will permit, and this increases the angularrelation of toggle members 27 and 28 thereby carrying fulcrum pin 26toward fulcrum pin 30. This movement of pin 26 neutralizes the effect ofangular movement of lever 23 and insures relaxation of the brake-band. rI v The relaxed condition of the brake-band is maintained as long as thedrag of the brake-drum continues, and as the unwinding of-thestartingspring progresses, winding gear 15 is retracted axially toward theposition represented by solid lines in Fig. 7. Such axial movement ofthe winding gear releases arm 36 of the brake-releasing lever and finger39 is retracted to' enable the middle pin 29 of the toggle to-return todead-center. When the starting spring has spent itself the brake-drum ofcourse comes to rest and as there is no further drag of the brake-drumupon the brake-band, spring 31 asserts itself to straighten toggle.members 27, 28. The straightening of the toggle is assisted by theslight recoil of the brake-drum, the momentum of the rotating partsduring the starting operation carrying the starting springslightly'beyond its point of "complete relaxation.

Referring to Fig 7 it will be noted that a sleeve 41 surrounds thestarting shaft and is arranged inside the starting spring. The functionof this sleeve is to afford a positive, as distinguished from ayielding, driving connection between gear 15 and shaft 11 in the eventthat the engine to which the starting device is applied does not movewhen the brake is released. As the starting spring is wound the diameterof its convolutions grows lessand if the shaft 11 does not turn when thebrake is released, the convolutions of the spring, which is undergoingan auxiliary winding operation at that time, become contractedsufficiently to grip the sleeve 41. Inasmuch as the sleeve prevents thefurther contraction of the spring, the latter becomes a positive drivingconnection and the torque of the armature shaft 19 is thus transmittedpositively to starting shaft 11 and thence to the crank shaft of theengine by other connections to be hereafter described. Thus if the crankshaft of. the engine should bind in its bearings or if.'for any otherreason, it should require more than the ordinary degree of force tostart it, the maximum torque oftlie armature shaft 19 as modified by thespeed-reducing gear, is available to ovcrcome the excessive frictionalresistance. Under such conditions the starting spring 12 will of coursein every case be wound to its 'maixiinuni' degree, and consequently, assoon as the sticking or other difficulty in the engine has been overcomeby the motor 20 the starting spring 12 will spend itself as far as it isable, to effect a relatively rapid rotation of the engine shaft.

Fig. 9 represents a wiring diagram of the connections by which the motor20 is controlled. A storage battery is indicated at 42 and is the sourceof current for operating the motor 20. One side of battery 42 isconnected to one terminal of the motor by wire 43. The connectionsbetween the other side I of the battery and the other terminal of themotor include two shunt-circuits. One of said shunt-circuits iscontrolled by the automatic switch hereinbefore mentioned, and

the other one of said shunt-circuits is controlled by a manuallyoperated switch, the latter switch being available to close a shortcircuit through the motor when the automatic switch is open, to effect astart.

The automatic switch includes movable spring contact 44, one end ofwhich is ancally when released. In the present instance,

and merely for the sake of illustrating a switch suitable for thepurpose, Fig. 9 includes a manually operative switch comprising amovable contact member 50 and a stationary contact member 51. Member 50is connected with motor 20, in the present instance, by wire 49 andcontact 51 is con nected with wire 47 by wire 52.

The axial movement of winding gear 15 is'utilized to operate theautomatic switch in addition to operating the brake mechanism. For thispurpose the fulcrum stud 38 of the brake-releasing lever is affixed tothe latter so as to partake of oscillatory movement. Referring to'Figs.1, 2, and 3 an arm 53 is affixed to the outer end of member 38. This armcarries a bushing 54 of insulating material. This bushing is' ar rangedto engage spring contact 44 so as to displace the latter from terminal46 when the winding gear 15 moves the brake-releasing lever from theposition indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 4 and 7 to that indicated bysolid lines in Figs. 4 and 5. The circuit through the motor is thusopened automatically when the starting spring-has been wound to theaforesaid predetermined degree. The oscillatory movement required teryand winding motor is closed thereby,

and the result is that the starting spring is wound beyond saidpredetermined degree suilicientlyto impart the additional oscillatorymovement required by arm 37 to release the brake. If'the operation ofthe de vice is successful in starting the engine the user mayimmediately release switch member 50, forthe automatic switch will havebeen closed during the unwinding operation ofthe starting spring, andwill maintain a circuit through the motor'and storage battery until thestarting spring is again rewound. 'If on the other hand the enginerequires more force than the maximum spring stress of thestarting-spring to turn the engine shaft, the user may: call intoservir-e the maximum torque of the armature shaft by holding themanually operative switch closed until the starting spring and sleevell,conjointly, substitute a positive driving connection for the yieldingdriving connection afforded by the spring alone.

The starter shaft is connected to the engine shaft by drivingconnections that inchialc. preferably, an'overrunning clutch, to enablethe engine shaft to turn under engine power without'turning thestartershaft. ln'the present instance, the starter shaft is providedwith a sprocket wheel 55, and a chain 56 transmits rotation from saidsprocket wheel to a sprocket wheel indicated at 57 in Fig. 8. Thelatterfigure includes a portion of an engine shaft 58, on which the sprocketwheel 57 is loosely mounted, a portion of a hand-crank 59 for crankingthe engine manually, andan overrunning clutch for transmitting rotationto the engine shaft in the direction indicated by the arrow. Anysuitable clutch that will turn the engine shaft in the said directionand not in the opposite direction may be used for this purpose. 1

V In the present instance, the sprocket wheel 57 is provided with aclutch portion .60 that serves as an inner member of the overrun- .ning:clutch. This clutch portion coacts with rollers 61 and an outer member62 contained in a housing 63. The hub portion of 7 housing 63 is affixedto an extension member '1 64 ofengine shaft 58, said extension memherbeing in turn affixed to'said shaft. g I

Through the connections just described, rotation in transmitted fromstarter shaft 11 through chain 56 to sprocket wheel 57, thence by clutchportion 60 through clutch rollers 61 to'the outer clutch member, thenceby housing 63 and extension member 64 to the engine shaft 58. Then theengine is operating" under its own power, its shaft 58 carries housing63, but the inner clutch member remains stationary because the roll ers61 do not transmit forward rotation from the outerclutch member to theinner clutch member. The outer clutch member is therefore usaloleforstarting the engine manually without affecting the automatic startingmechanism. The hub portion of the outer clutch member is thereforeprovided with'ratchet teeth 65 arranged to be engaged by'a' transversein 66 on the handcrank 59. The hand-crank is capable of sliding axiallyto and from'driving relation with the clutch teeth 65, according to the.well-known arrangement of hand-cranks now in general use. 7 7 r We donot herein claim the generic subject-matter common to the engine starterherein described and that illustrated and described in our co pen'dingapplication. Serial No. 166,341, filed May 4, 1917 ,as such com-7 I mongeneric subject-matter is claimed in said co-pendmg appllcation. V

lveclaimz a r 1. An engine-starter comprising a nor- :mally woundhelical spring arranged to ex- 7 tend axially when being wound,mechanism of the spring to transmit starting motion therefrom, brakeymechanism normally set to restrain said member, means arranged torelease the brake mechanism'and to close the 115 motor circuit uponlengthwise movement of said spring in winding and unwinding.

i 3. An engine-starter comprising a main spring, spring-windingmechanism therefor including .an electric motor, being arranged to windthe spring at one end, a rotatable member connected to the other end ofsaid spring to transmit the starting motion from the latter, brakemech-.

anism arranged, to restrain} said rotatable 125 member duringthespring-winding period, means, arranged tobe actuated by distortivemovement of said spring to openthe circuit 7 of said motor when thewinding of said spring has progressed to a predetermined v130 tatablemember connected to the other end said mechanism degree, and meansarranged to be actuated by further distortive movement of said spring tounset said brake mechanism in consequence of winding said spring beyondsaid predetermined degree.

4. An engine-starter comprising a helical torsion spring, spring-windingmechanism therefor including an electric motor, said mechanism beingarranged to wind the spring at one end, a rotatable member connected tothe other end of said spring to transmit the starting motion from thelatter, brake mechanism arranged to restrain said rotatable memberduring the spring-winding period, means arranged to be actuated byelongation of said spring to open the circuit of said motor when thewinding of the spring has progressed to a predetermined degree, andmeans arranged to be actuated by further elongation of said spring tounset said brake mechanism in consequence of Winding said spring beyondsaid predetermined degree.

5. An engine-starter comprisng a helical torsion spring, spring-windingmechanism therefor including an electric motor and a gear attached toone end of said spring, said gear being movable axially by said springas the length of the latter increases and decreases in consequence ofwinding and unwinding, a rotatable member connected to the other end ofsaid spring to transmit starting motion from the latter, brake mechanismarranged to restrain said rotatable member, means arranged to beactuated by axial movement of said gear to open the circuit of saidmotor when the winding of said spring has progressed to a predetermineddegree, and means arranged to be actuated by further axial movement ofsaid gear to unset said brake mechanism in consequence of winding saidspring beyond said predetermined degree.

6. An engine-starter comprising a helical main spring, an electric motorand gearing including an axially movable gear arranged to wind saidspring at one end, a rotatable member connected to the other end of saidS ring to transmit the starting motion from t e spring, brake mechanismarranged to restrain said rotatable member, and means arranged to beactuated by said axially movable gear to open the circuit of said motorwhen the winding of the spring, has progressed to a predetermineddegree.

7. An engine-starter comprising a helical main spring, an electric motorand gearing including an axially movable gear arranged to wind saidspring at one end, a rotatable member connected to the other end of saidspring to transmit the starting motion'from the pring, brake mechanismarranged to restrain said rotatable member, means arranged to beactuated by said axially movable gear to open the circuit of said motorwhen the Winding of the spring has progressed to a, predetermineddegree, and means arranged to be actuated by axial movement of said gearto move said brake mechanism to release said rotatable member.

8. An engine-starter comprising a helical spring, an electric motor andgearing arranged to wind said spring at one end, a rotatable memberconnected to the other end of said spring to transmit the startingmotion from the sprin brake mechanism arranged to restrain saidrotatable member, said brake mechanism being arranged to be self-settingexcepting while said rotatable member is partaking of starting motion,means arranged to be actuated by said gearing to open the circuit ofsaid motor when said spring has been prolonged by winding to apredetermined degree, and means arranged to be actuated by furtherprolongation of said spring to move said brake mechanism to release saidrotatable member.

9. In an engine-starter, a helical starting spring, mechanism arrangedto wind said spring at one end, a rotatable member connected to theother end of said spring to transmit the starting-motion from thelatter, a brake-drum and a brake-band arranged to coact to restrain saidrotatable member, brake-applying mechanism including toggle members, aspring arranged to move said toggle members to dead center relation toapply the brake, and means arranged to be actuated by the prolongationof said sprin to displace said toggle members from said dead centerrelation, in opposition to the stress of said toggle-moving spring, inconsequence of winding said starting spring to a predetermined degree.

10. In an engine-starter, a starting spring, mechanism arranged to windsaid spring at one end, a rotatable member connected to the other end ofsaid spring to transmit the starting motion from the latter, brakemechanism arranged to restrain said rotatable member, means includingtrip mechanism arranged normally to hold said brake mechanism inbrake-applying position, and a movable element arranged to actuate saidtrip mechanism to release the brake, said movable element being arrangedto be actuated for the purpose stated by a prolongation of the startingspring in consequence of winding said starting spring to a predetermineddegree.

11. In an engine-starter, a starting spring, mechanism including anelectric motor arranged to wind said spring at one end, a rotatablemember connected to the other end of said spring to transmit thestarting motion from the latter, brake mechanism arranged to restrainsaid rotatable member, means including trip mechanism arranged normallyto hold said brake mechanism in brake-applying position, controllingmeans arranged to trip said trip mechanism to release the brake, saidcontrolling means being arranged to be actuated for the purpose statedby the prolongation of said starting spring in consequence of windingsaid starting spring to a predetermined degree, and a switch adapted toopen and close the cir- In testimony whereof we have affixed our 10signatures.

JOHN W. ESTERLINE. DONALD J. ANGUS.

